It’s time to wage war against the sausage industrial complex! MSG, corn syrups, “natural flavors”….this crap HAS to go. Try this homemade breakfast sausage!

homemade breakfast sausage patty on cutting board

Sausage. Hell yeah.

Growing up on a hog farm in Indiana, you know I’ve had a sausage or two. Odds were pretty good that we would have a roll or two in the garage freezer. I mean, ya gotta love the stuff, right?! Biscuits and gravy. Sausage links. A nice breakfast sandwich with a patty of sausage. So many ways to enjoy it. Nothing is quite as rustic or “country cookin” as fresh sausage. But what actually goes into it? What is it made of and how do the big boys keep churning it out to keep your grocery shelves stocked?

My sausage revelation.

Over the past few years, I’ve been making some changes in my life. I’ve gotten back into lifting weights and exercising after a long break following my high school strength and conditioning days. More recently, I’ve been really taking a hard look at what I’m eating. Especially now that I have kids. It’s been an eye-opening experience and a bit “black-pilling” at times. Once you start reading ingredient lists on most items in the grocery store, you realize that it’s mostly just over-priced poison. It starts making more and more sense why so many people are struggling with weight or health issues.

Being a good “cornfed country boy” from Indiana, this newly acquired skill of obsessively reading ingredient lists has presented a challenge to my need for sausage-based breakfast treats. I have come to the realization that I can no longer buy industrial sausage from the grocery store. Like many other foods, it is littered with preservatives and artificial ingredients. SAD. Unfortunately, I don’t think that buying sausage from a lot of “butcher shops” in my area is much better. Yes, they may produce the sausage in-house, but they are still using mass produced seasoning blends that have many of the same ingredients. This may not be true for ALL butcher shops or local meat processors, but, in my area, it seems to be the case.

What’s in store-bought sausage?

This problem of sausage containing questionable ingredients may not be as big of an issue outside of the US. While researching these ingredients, I learned that a few of them have been banned in in other countries, which makes all of this seem even crazier as a concerned consumer, living in the United States. Like, are food protection agencies in other countries just a bunch of hyperventilating, limp-wristed wussies? Or, are the American food protection agencies just not doing their jobs….or worse? Let’s take a look at some of the ingredients that I noticed in just two of the big name-brand sausages in my local grocery stores:

Monosodium Glutamate– Flavor enhancer
Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT)– Preservative, banned in other countries
Propyl Gallate– retards the spoilage of fats and oils, preservative, banned in other countries.
Corn Syrup Solids– Sweetener
Sodium Phosphate– Preservative
Caramel Coloring– Alters and provides consistent color of food products. Basically, caramelized corn syrup.
“Flavorings”– Could be as innocent as spices and herbs. Could also be completely synthetic. You can use your imagination on why they would be this vague.
Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA)– Preservative, banned in other countries.

Now, for this article, I’m not going to do a deep dive exploration into the studies and adverse effects of each of these ingredients. It’s like walking through a mine field talking about this with some people. There is a “study” or “evidence” to support almost any opinion of this topic. Especially when someone is making tons of money by selling the products listed. My opinion is this: if there is any doubt about their safety AND I can make the food at home without the use of these ingredients….I should just do that. As I like to say, “better safe than sorry”. But, if you trust everything that the government and corporations say, feel free to continue eating them.

What I find even crazier though, is that both of these brands that I researched also offer an “all natural” version! So, despite the NEED for all of these preservatives and stabilizers in the “normal” sausages, they are somehow capable of making a blend that only uses salt, herbs, spices, and sugar. Like, why can’t we just do THAT in the first place?!?! Unfortunately, in my area, those are not an option. So, I either have to drive to a far-off city to source quality sausage from a higher quality grocer, order it online, or just make it myself. That being said, LET’S MAKE SOME SAUSAGE!

What’s in my Homemade Breakfast Sausage?

Pork: While this sounds obvious, the thing that is NOT so obvious is the quality. Often times the stuff that you are buying from the big corporate sausage boys is made from some of the lowest quality animals around. However, by making our own homemade breakfast sausage, we can control the quality by sourcing the best pork that we can get our hands on. Bonus points if you can find pastured pork.
Sage: This recipe was formulated with fresh sage, but dry sage works just as well. Just reduce the quantity by about half, if using dry. Grab some dry sage HERE.
Thyme: Same story as with the sage. We used fresh, but dry will work as well. Grab some HERE.
Maple Syrup: Good ole tree juice for a hint of sweetness. If you can find it local, do that. Otherwise, you can find it HERE.
Sea Salt: I used Himalayan Pink Sea Salt in this recipe. Redmond Real Salt will work as well. Grab it HERE. Keep in mind, not all salt is created equal. Iodized table salt (CRAP), Kosher, Maldon, Fleur de Sel, Himalayan Pink…..they all have their own flavor and level of “saltiness”. If you choose a salt that is different from what I recommend (highly disobedient), start with LESS and taste a sample patty. If it’s not enough, THEN add more.
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: For a little bit of heat. Find it HERE.
Fennel Seeds: The unexpected ingredient. Fennel has a nice sweetness and a wonderful flavor. Grab some HERE. I grind mine up in a mortar and pestle. If you don’t have one, get one HERE. You can throw the seeds in a dry skillet and toast them over medium heat until they become fragrant. Don’t leave them alone, they can burn quickly. I like to grind them up, so you don’t bite down into a big seed of fennel and get a pop of that flavor, like you do in most Italian sausages. I want this to be more subtle.
Coarse Ground Black Pepper: Black pepper GOOD. Get it HERE.
Ground Ginger: Just a touch of gingeriness. Get it HERE.

How can I use my Homemade Breakfast Sausage?

Homemade breakfast sausage is super versatile. Here are a few examples of how you can use it.

Sausage Patties: Literally just make some patties, fry them up in a skillet and serve with some eggs and breakfast potatoes. Maybe even drizzle some of our Hot Maple Syrup all over it!
Biscuits and Gravy: DUH! This one is a no-brainer. LOL
Sausage-Stuffed Acorn Squash: Split an acorn squash down the middle and hollow it out. Make a stuffing out of this homemade breakfast sausage, apples, onions, garlic, and some Parmigiano Reggiano. Try this recipe